By Carson Garety
Alcohol can affect your body in many ways. Everything from long-term changes to your weight, to short-term effects such as face flushing, can happen when a person drinks heavily. Some of these are minor annoyances, while others may be signs of serious illness.
If you are concerned about yourself or a loved one’s drinking, there are many free rehab centers available that can help. Here are a few ways alcohol might alter the appearance of a person’s skin and overall appearance.
Red Face
It’s normal to have a red face after drinking alcohol. There are many reasons for this, such as alcohol sensitivity. Being sensitive to alcohol can lead to high blood pressure and increased heart rate when drinking, both of which cause the face to flush. An enzyme deficiency can It’s normal to have a red face after drinking alcohol. There are many reasons for this, such as alcohol sensitivity. Being sensitive to alcohol can lead to high blood pressure and increased heart rate when drinking, both of which cause the face to flush. An enzyme deficiency can also cause alcohol to dilate blood vessels and make the skin feel warm. Additionally, rosacea (a common face flushing condition), can be activated by alcohol use.
Alcohol Nose
When a person drinks often, their nose can change shape and color. This is what’s known as an “alcohol nose” or an “alcoholic nose.” When this happens, the nose becomes bulbous and bumpy, and may permanently turn red. This is more common in middle-aged, white men, but can happen to anyone who drinks alcohol in high quantities. While doctors aren’t sure what causes this, it could be the same rosacea that causes short-term flushing throughout the face.
Hair Loss
Hair loss is a less well-known side effect of alcoholism. Heavy drinking can lead to a poor diet and weaken the immune system, both of Hair loss is a less well-known side effect of alcoholism. Heavy drinking can lead to a poor diet and weaken the immune system, both of which can cause hair to break or even fall out. Additionally, alcohol can cause frequent urination, leading to dehydration and dry, brittle hair. Stress, which is a common result and cause of alcohol abuse, can also damage hair.
Weight Gain
Gaining weight is a classic sign of alcohol use. This is because many alcoholic drinks are high in calories, and most of those calories are empty and provide no nutritional value. Alcohol can also increase your appetite, and stop you from feeling full after having a meal. Finally, alcohol stops your body from burning fat in the way it usually does. All of these factors combined can cause a “beer belly” to form or weight gain in other parts of the body.
Oral Health
Dry mouth, cavities, and more can all be signs of high alcohol consumption. These are often caused by high amounts of acids and sugars in most alcoholic beverages. Since chronic alcoholism often leads to memory issues, many people who drink excessively forget to brush their teeth, leading to tooth decay, teeth staining, gum infections, and other problems.
Jaundice
Alcoholism can cause many kinds of liver problems. This is because the liver is the main organ used to process alcohol. If the liver is not working properly due to alcoholic hepatitis, liver disease, or other illnesses, jaundice can appear, which is the yellowing of the eyes and skin. It is a sign of serious liver problems, and should be handled right away.
We hope this article has been helpful in identifying some of the ways alcohol can change your appearance. No matter what side effects of alcoholism a person may have, treatment is always possible.
Author Bio:
Carson Garety is a content writer for FreeRehabCenters.net, an informational website that teaches people with substance abuse disorder — and their loved ones — about addiction, mental health, and treatment options.
